Hi everyone, I hope this month has been treating you well. It’s been a bit busy at work with many events and changes. This week is a personal post that is a little bit out of the ordinary. I had planned some time ago to share my favourite quotes but I realised there are many blogs out there with such content, so I decided to share my top seven ‘last’ quotes instead. For a bit more of an explanation click the button below…
So, over the past few months I was trying to find some ideas when I came upon a few websites which showcased a list of ‘last’ lines from famous books. What the articles I read had in common was the role that the last line or quote played: it’s the last thing the reader takes with them and the one they remember the most. It has the power of creating a reader for life or a fan of that author, genre, or title!! If you think about it from the publisher’s perspective; the last line can ‘make or break a book’. It turns out that some authors take care in crafting these lines as they have the ability to physically imprint on their readers and end up giving the books a sort of “cherished” status!!
For me, the choices I am featuring are titles I tend to read a few times a year. These are some of my favourite books, and I hope you enjoy the quotes I have compiled here.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
A contemporary middle-grade novel about an ordinary kid, Auggie Pullman, with an extraordinary face, as he starts school for the first time. He enters fifth grade at Beecher Prep and this story follows his trials and adventures there. R.J. Palacio has crafted an uplifting novel full of wonderfully realistic family interactions, lively school scenes, and writing that shines with spare emotional power.
Last quote:
“…. She bent down and whispered in my ear. “You really are a wonder, Auggie. You are a wonder.””
Mom to Auggie
Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick
Truly Lovegood and her family have moved back to her father’s hometown of Pumpkin Falls in New Hampshire. She and her siblings have to help out in the family bookstore where she finds a mysterious letter inside an old copy of Charlotte’s Web. Not long after, Truly and her new friends are chasing clues on a madcap treasure hunt around time.
Last quote:
‘ …. A moment later, I heard the sound of his ringtone from the kitchen.
It was the theme song from The Magnificent Seven!
And right then and there I knew for sure that our family was going to be okay.
And that’s exactly how it all happened, absolutely truly, cross my heart and hope to fly.”
Truly Lovegood
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A coming-of-age story set during the Depression years in Maycomb, Alabama. This Pulitzer-prize winner story is told through the eyes of six-year-old Scout Finch as she witnesses prejudice and racial inequality.
Last quote:
“…his hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.
“Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.”
He turned out the light and went into Jem’s room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.”
Scout Finch
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
The last in the best-selling Harry Potter series where the final battle between good and evil is fought. This final instalment offers shocking last-minute twists, incredible acts of courage, powerful new forms of magic, and the resolution to many wizarding mysteries.
Last quote:
“As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absent-mindedly and touched the lighting scar on his forehead.
‘I know he will.’
The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well.”
Harry Potter
The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank
Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has become a world classic – a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
Last quote:
“I can’t keep that up: if I’m watched to that extent, I start by getting snappy, then unhappy, and finally I twist my heart round again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside, and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and what I could be, if… there weren’t any other people living in the world.”
Anne Frank
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
This story, told in two distinct voices, tells the story of two remarkable young people; Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy dealing with bipolar disorder.
Last quote:
‘…That’s when I look at Dad’s T-shirt. Really look at it.
“You know,” I say, “how you sometimes make mistakes on your T-shirts?”
He smiles. “Yes.”
“Well, Dad, you got this one just right. It’s perfect.”
“So are you, Lily.” And he squeezes me into the tightest hug. “So are you.”
Dad to Lily
Fish in a tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
A poignant tale about a young girl’s journey as she navigates middle school as she struggles with dyslexia and finds a way to accept herself as others see her.
Last quote:
“I lean my back against my big brother and feel his hands on my shoulders. Their voices seem to fade as I look up at that light streaming through the windows.
Things are going to be different.
It’s like birds can swim and fish can fly.
Impossible to possible.
Ally Nickerson
So there you have my selection of “last” quotes from my favourite books. If you have a similar list I’d love to hear from you.
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 